John m



(No Mode l.) I I J. M. HEFNER.

1 GATE. Y N0; 528,876. v Patented Nov. 6, 1894.

JOHN M. HEFNER, OF MARIETTA, TEXAS.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 6f Letters Patent No. 528,876, dated November6, 1894.

Application filed June 20, 1894- Serial No. 515,155. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HEFNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marietta, in the county of Cass and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Gate, of which the following isaspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in gates.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofswinging gates, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensiveone, which will possess great strength and durability, and in which anytendency to sag may be readily counteracted, and which may be fullyopened.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,partly in section.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a swinging gate composed of horizontal rails 2, andvertical bars, and connected with a hinge post 3 at the bottom by anordinary eye 4, and a pintle 5. The hinge post is provided at its topwith a pintle 6; and the gate has its upper eye 7 connected by a wire 8,or the'like with a latch operating lever 9. The wire 8 passes through aperforation 10 of the inner end bar 11 of the gate, and may terminate inthe eye 7, or the latter, may if desired, be constructed separate fromthe wire and be connected with the same in any suitable manner. Thelatch operating lever 9 is disposed vertically on the gate to which itis pivoted at 13; it projects above the gate, and its upper projectingportion 14 is shaped into a handle. The lower end of the lever isconnected by a pivot 15 with a horizontal latch bar 16, which isslidingly mounted on the gate, and is adapted to engage a keeper 17 of alatch post 18.

The wire 8 is connected to the lever 9 above the pivot 13, whereby whenthe gate is locked, the Weight of the gate will tend to throw the upperportion of the operating lever inward,

and its lower portion outward to hold the latch bar in positiveengagement with the keeper. In order to release the gate, the upperhandle portion of the lever must be moved outward, therebyslightlylifting the front portion of the gate and simultaneously moving thelatch inward. The outward movement of the latch is limitedby a stop pin19 passing through the latch near the inner end thereof and arranged toengage a vertical bar 20 between which and the front end bar 21 theoperatin g lever is arranged. The latch is slidingly mounted in recessesof the bars 20 and 21, and the operating lever is pivoted in a spacebetween the top rail of the gate and the horizontal piece 22, which issecured to the upper ends of the vertical bars 20 and 21 of the gate.

In order to counteract any tendency-of the gate to sag, the position ofthe lever 9 is changed; and for this purpose thelatch operating lever isprovided with a series of perforations 13 any one of which is adapted toreceive the pivot 13. The upper pintle of the hinge post is arranged in,a socket 23 thereof.

It will be seen that the gate is exceedingly simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that any tendency to sag may be readilycounteracted, and that there is no liability of the gates becomingaccidentally unlatched. It will also be apparent that, by the operatinglever, the front portion of the gate may be readily elevated above theground sufficiently to enable the. gate to swing clear, so that it maybe fully opened.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a hinge-post, of a swinginggate hinged at its bottom to the post, an upper pintle mounted on thepost, a vertically disposed latch operating lever fulcrumed on the gateat the outer end thereof, and the connection 8 extending from the leveralong the top of the gate and passing through the inner end bar andterminating in an eye receiving the upper pintle of the post,

substantially as described.

2. The combination of a hinge post provided with upper and lowerpintles, a gate having a rigid lower eye receiving the lower pintle ofthe post, an upper eye receiving the upper pintle and loosely mounted onthe gate, a horizontal latch siidingly mounted on the gate, and avertical latch operating lever fulcrumed on the gate and having itslower end pivotally connected to the latch and connected above itsfulcrum point with the upper eye of the gate, substantially as and for10 the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN M. I-IEFNER.

Witnesses:

R0131. W. SPENOE, W. R. WATTS.

